Pirates' Oneil Cruz sets batting record that only Carl Yastrzemski did with Red Sox

TL;DR

Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates has set a batting record that matches only Carl Yastrzemski's achievement with the Red Sox. He is currently hitting .316 with five home runs and nine stolen bases through 19 games.

Key points

Oneil Cruz is hitting .316/.381/.566.
He has five home runs and nine stolen bases.
Cruz's OPS ranks second on the Pirates.

Oneil CruzPittsburgh PiratesCarl Yastrzemski

Pirates' Oneil Cruz sets batting record that only Carl Yastrzemski did with Red Sox originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Oneil Cruz is off to a blistering start at the plate for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The outfielder is faring much better against left-handed pitching, but his defense is still a work in progress. The Pirates are hoping that 2026 is the season that he finally breaks out of his offensive shell.

Through 19 games, Cruz is hitting .316/.381/.566 with five home runs, 17 RBIs, and nine stolen bases. His .947 OPS ranks second on the Pirates behind second baseman Brandon Lowe.

It's safe to say that things are going pretty well at the plate if you are grouped in the same conversation as Carl Yastrzemski.

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Despite record-breaking exit velocities and blazing speed, Cruz did not earn an All-Star selection in his first five seasons. He posted a career high 2.6 bWAR in 2024, and already has 0.9 bWAR this year.

While it may be hard to keep up this consistency all season long, the Pirates will need Cruz to be as consistent as possible if they want to return to the postseason.